Bobby Liebling reviews his choices: An interview (Part Two)

Time is of course an enemy. What keeps Bobby going, for all of this and his few, few rewards is simple – it's what he and others like him are. “Well... we have no choice”, he admits. “It's in us. We can't ignore the passion. It's why we exist. It can be a blessing and a curse.”

That doesn't stop him worrying about his vocals, despite it being “just amazing what you can do when your voice isn't coated in the smoke of several bad daily life choices”. He seems rather worried about sounding like Ozzy Osborne. This is a rather unfounded fear if you've ever heard him sing, though he seems almost apologetic about his technique.

He sees himself less as a singer and more “an entertainer and a story teller”, before yo-yoing, like many a singer does, between self belief and self doubt. “I believe that what I may lack in pure vocal talent, I make up for in performance”, he asserts, while adding “if that makes sense.”

Still that doesn't take away from the supreme situational irony of our times, that Bobby is widely admired amongst those in the know, but plainly skint, whereas investment bankers are universally despised but can afford to bathe in panda tears.

For all this, Bobby prefers to focus on supporting his family and securing his legacy, despite it being “a struggle daily”. He believes that doing the right thing will eventually pay off (it seems to be, as of the time of writing) and as he points out, “when the banker dies, he's dead and will be known for nothing. Money burns but legacy can be eternal.” It sounds cheesy, but in a way, he's right. Nothing matters if no one will remember you.

Bobby sounds happy at last, though. He talks about his wife with love and admiration, and admits his new family is one of the reasons why he continues to “work harder and fly right”.

Having lived in a sort of shadowy no-man's land of perpetual druggy adolescence for so long, Bobby seems at last to have been 'domesticated', and rather likes the result. He describes his lot in life with great enthusiasm, but so much so that it hints at desperation. He knows this is it: A wife, a son and a dog called Peaches. A sustainable career at long last. It's this or oblivion.

Still, the spring in his step is genuine. When asked if he'd tour with Liam Gallagher (who, it is claimed, has the Pentagram track “Be Forewarned” in his Top Five of favourite songs), he exclaims “YES! Why not?” before bounding off into a happy declaration that he'll tour with anybody, “I want to be surrounded by people like me, music fans” he says, but he prefers rock bands that actually, well, rock. “With singers and people who play guitar solos”, he lightly insists.

“Somebody upstairs wants me here so I can play for you”, Bobby concludes. He ends with an admonishment: “Review your choices and make the right decision.” For now, it seems he has.